Narrative:

While on the arrival to dfw we received clearance to descend. I thought I heard 'cleared to descend and maintain 310.' I clearly and deliberately responded 'roger, out of 350 for 310.' there was no response from the controller. I looked over at the altitude set window and observed my first officer had set 330. She looked at me and said she thought she had heard 330. To verify, I called the controller and said, 'verify xx cleared to 310.' she responded, 'negative xx descend to and maintain 330.' I then asked if she had heard my readback to 310 and she replied, 'affirmative xx I understood that.' I then asked, (after descending to 330) why, if she heard the incorrect readback, she had not corrected me, to which she replied, 'maybe it didn't seem critical.' it was, of course, beyond belief to hear such a retort. I asked her for her initials and a telephone number. She replied, 'under the circumstances I'm not going to give you my initials. You can call number.' this whole incident points to a very dangerous personality problem. I've never heard such a conversation in my professional career. While it is very important to realize this is only one controller and one incident, it cannot be allowed to go unchked. The assistant chief of the ATC facility was notified right away and a promise was made to 'pull the tapes' the next morning for a readout. As of this writing, I have not heard from the facility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT HEARD DSND FL310 AND READ BACK WHEN ARTCC CTLR WAS QUERIED, SHE CONFIRMED FL330.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE ARR TO DFW WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND. I THOUGHT I HEARD 'CLRED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 310.' I CLRLY AND DELIBERATELY RESPONDED 'ROGER, OUT OF 350 FOR 310.' THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE CTLR. I LOOKED OVER AT THE ALT SET WINDOW AND OBSERVED MY FO HAD SET 330. SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD HEARD 330. TO VERIFY, I CALLED THE CTLR AND SAID, 'VERIFY XX CLRED TO 310.' SHE RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE XX DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 330.' I THEN ASKED IF SHE HAD HEARD MY READBACK TO 310 AND SHE REPLIED, 'AFFIRMATIVE XX I UNDERSTOOD THAT.' I THEN ASKED, (AFTER DSNDING TO 330) WHY, IF SHE HEARD THE INCORRECT READBACK, SHE HAD NOT CORRECTED ME, TO WHICH SHE REPLIED, 'MAYBE IT DIDN'T SEEM CRITICAL.' IT WAS, OF COURSE, BEYOND BELIEF TO HEAR SUCH A RETORT. I ASKED HER FOR HER INITIALS AND A TELEPHONE NUMBER. SHE REPLIED, 'UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU MY INITIALS. YOU CAN CALL NUMBER.' THIS WHOLE INCIDENT POINTS TO A VERY DANGEROUS PERSONALITY PROBLEM. I'VE NEVER HEARD SUCH A CONVERSATION IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER. WHILE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THIS IS ONLY ONE CTLR AND ONE INCIDENT, IT CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO GO UNCHKED. THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF THE ATC FACILITY WAS NOTIFIED RIGHT AWAY AND A PROMISE WAS MADE TO 'PULL THE TAPES' THE NEXT MORNING FOR A READOUT. AS OF THIS WRITING, I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE FACILITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.